Flag football opens intramurals

Sept. 19, 1996

Baylor program ranks second in the nation

By Michelle Ward

Lariat Sports Staff

From humble beginnings, the Baylor intramural program has grown to join an elite group of universities. The idea of intramurals at Baylor was conceived by Professor Frederick Eby more than 50 years ago. The first intramurals were segregated because men and women were not allowed to play the same sport or hold their events at the same location.

However, today one can see a mixture of both men and women on the intramural field on any given fall afternoon.

With the changes in the organization of intramural programs, there have also been changes in the number of participants in the program. The number of Baylor students involved in intramurals increases annually, giving the university the second largest intramural program in the country.

'We feel really good about it (being second in the nation),' said Debbie Kelo, assistant director of recreational sports.

'Now we need to work towards the first.'

With the start of the academic year, students are given the option of joining flag football.

Teams are first divided by their sex. Then teams are further divided into three leagues: clubs, residence halls and the open division.

Furthermore, each league has an A and a B league. The A league is for advanced players while beginners and intermediate players are placed in the B league.

Each team will play three games in the regular season; the top two teams from each league will move into the playoffs. The playoffs will lead to a winner in each division.

Following the divisional championship, the playoffs for the all-university champion will begin where the winners from the clubs, residence halls, and open league will play each other.

The all-university champions for flag football for the 1995 season consisted of two teams from the club league. The men's champion was Sigma Chi while Kappa Kappa Gamma won it for the women.

'We think we have a good chance at winning it again,' Bryce Birckson, a Dallas junior, said.

The women of Kappa Kappa Gamma will have five returning starters from their championship team.

'It was huge for us to win it,' said Bobbie Caldwell, a Ennis senior. 'We get really excited for the season and talk about it throughout the year.'

Caldwell said that the majority of the Kappa's intramural points come from flag football.

Future intramural sports will include volleyball and three-person basketball beginning later in the month.

In contrast to intramural sports, club sports allow teams to compete against opponents from other universities.

While intramurals only require an hour or two of students' time each week, club sports have daily practices and are handled in much the same way as varsity sports.